NJAMHAA-70th-anniversary-publication

53 Actor Rod Steiger (top and third photos) and Nobel Prize winner Dr. John Nash were honored at NJAMHAA conferences. In addition to securing experts on policy, business strategy and clinical care from the state and across the nation for the conferences, NJAMHAA occasionally has the exciting oppor- tunity to host celebrities and other highly visible individuals, who give presentations during these events, which makes them even more inspiring. “While NJAMHAA really was not seeking star presence, we ended up having high-profile people at conferences. That was because of our commitment to educate that mental illness and substance use impact all social, racial and other groups,” Dr. Wentz said. “The celebrities’ presence demonstrates that mental illnesses affect everyone, regardless of fame and for- tune.” In 1997, Dr. Wentz was pleasantly surprised to receive a voicemail directly from actor Rod Steiger ( On the Waterfront, Dr. Zhivago) , accepting NJAMHAA’s invitation to appear at the conference in May 1998. “He did an amazing re-enactment of when he was depressed, demonstrating it as waves pulling him into the water. He was a powerful actor,” Dr. Wentz said. Also in 1998, A Beautiful Mind, a book about Dr. John Nash’s struggles with schizophrenia and his professional achieve- ments despite having this illness, was published. Before the movie of the same name was released in 2001, NJAMHAA hon- ored Dr. Nash and his wife Alicia for their efforts to eliminate stigma during a conference that was held in Atlantic City. “We offered a car service and much to my surprise, they asked me to drive them. I was nervous and I didn’t know what I would talk about during the long ride with a Nobel Prize winner,” Dr. Wentz recalled. “They were so down to earth, the quintessential family who dealt with mental illness and were very committed to using their story to fight stigma and discrimination. I felt such an instant affinity with them and we became and remained close friends, almost like family, until their tragic deaths.” “Because the Nash’s lent their life story and we see the world from the eyes of someone with schizophrenia, A Beautiful Mind humanized people with the disease and destigmatized mental illness more than any other movie or effort,” Dr. Wentz added. “They fought alongside us and on their own for the system in which their son participated. They used their visibil- ity to help us gain funding to help everyone.” Conferences Feature High-profile, Inspirational Presenters